The Appalachian Teardrop and Sylvan Sport Go bring back the tow-behind.
A tent is a perfectly suitable “home away from home,” but if you really want to lay claim to a patch of dirt in the middle of nowhere, plant your flag with a tow-behind trailer. Two Southern companies are making trailers for the adventure-minded traveler. They’re lightweight, small, and packed with amenities that will make your next weekend in the woods more civilized. These aren’t your grandpa’s campers.
Sylvan Sport Go
Consider the Go a pop-up camper, completely reinvented. This all-aluminum pop-up doubles as a trailer that can carry 800 pounds of bikes, kayaks, surfboards…then transforms into a hard-topped tent that can sleep up to four people in a variety of configurations. You can also convert the beds into tables. The whole package is ridiculously spacious thanks to the bump-out style tents, but you won’t get the built in stove and cooler of the Teardrop. And you’ve got some set up once you get to camp. The roof cranks up, but you’ve still got to erect the tent. But it’s hard to beat the rugged versatility of this pop-up.
$8,000; sylvansport.com
Appalachian Teardrop
Built in Charlotte, N.C., this is a modern take on the sleek tow-behinds that were so popular in the 50s. The beauty of a teardrop-style trailer is there’s no set up once you find your base camp. Simply park it and enjoy. Much like its predecessors, the Appalachian Teardrop is light enough to be towed by a small vehicle. Check out the Rover model, a 920-pound trailer that sleeps two and features a built-in two-burner stove, cooler, stereo, and storage area. All of that happens outside of the Teardop, as the interior is just big enough for sleeping.
$9,995; appalachianteardrop.com
